1,846 dismissed from TÜBİTAK over Gülen links, Minister says

A total of 1,846 people have been dismissed from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK) due to their alleged links to the Gülen movement, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Faruk Özlü announced on Friday.

The Gülen movement is accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, 2016. The accusations have strongly been denied by the movement

TÜBİTAK has around 4,500 employees.

Özlü also added that a total of 440 people were expelled from Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology for the same reason.

The minister said the firing of employees at TÜBİTAK and the ministry began in February 2014 following the eruption of a corruption scandal in which senior government members were involved in late 2013.